Social Security Spotlight: Social Security Offices Closed to the Public
Social Security offices have been closed to public visits since March 2020 and will probably continue to be closed into the New Year until the rates of infection subside.
Most employees are working from home and a limited number of employees go into offices to process mail and to other internal work. You cannot visit Social Security Administration offices for an in-person interview. However, a lot can be handled online, like change of address, direct deposit, claim status, and filing retirement/disability claims and appeals if you have set up a “My Social Security” account on their website. You can also schedule phone appointments to file claims through the national 800 number (800-772-1213). However, appointments may not be available for weeks or months, if at all.
Filing online is easiest for retirement and disability benefits. I offer this service for retirement and disability clients who want an expert to handle their case. When I assist you, the claim information is sent to one of several intake centers throughout the United States. Social Security will send you a hard copy application to sign and return and your retirement claim is usually processed in 30 days or less.
You can call local offices with other questions on important issues. Local office numbers can be found at www.ssa.gov on the “Contact Us” page (on the home page) and “Locate an Office”. Simply enter your ZIP code and the local office address and phone number will be provided.
Social Security available to handle most situations, albeit some slower than others due to necessary precautions. They have prioritized workloads. Hopefully things will change some time soon in 2021 and we can all get back to the new normal!
Wishing you all a safe and healthy holiday season and looking forward to 2021!
About Dennis Heywood
Denny’s career with Social Security provides an in-depth, working knowledge of the Social Security Administration’s internal organization and processes. An expert in all phases of SSA programs: retirement, survivor, disability, and Medicare, Denny has expertise with the complex Social Security regulations based on more than 40 years of experience.
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